Press release

Serbia defeats the United States to earn its first ever medal

Uros Kovacevic contributed to Serbian win with 13 points

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 10, 2011 – Fifth Youth and Junior world-ranked Serbia earned the bronze medal of the FIVB Men´s Junior World Championship by scoring a 3-1 (25-15, 25-20, 23-25, 25-13) victory over United States on Wednesday. The Serbians were making their second appearance in the tournament.

The Serbian team started the match in an amazing rhythm and easily scored 13-6 with a backcourt spike of captain Atanasijevic. American head coach replaced regular starters Sander, captain Taylor Crabb and setter Micah Christenson. The European did not slow down and ended the frame with Kovacevic spiking to score 25-15.

American started the second set playing better and scored 7-3 when Serbian Milan Peric spiked. The European tied the match in the 12th point after a second ball of setter Nikola Vojovic and took the lead 16-14 with a backcourt spike of Atanasijevic. With Brian Cook, the American tied the set 16-16, but a foot fault of Steven Irvin gave back the lead to Serbia. In the end, another American mistake, now committed by libero Herry Cassiday, gave the European the 25-20 win.

With Taylor Sander back in the court, Americans were ahead in the beginning of the third set with the outside hitter serving to score 7-2. Serbia managed to slowly reduce the gap and it narrowed to a single point when Srecko Lizinac blocked to score 19-18. Captain Atanasijevic spiked to tie the match in the 21th point, but a serve point of Scott Kervoken returned the lead to USA, scoring 23-21. From the backcourt, Sander spiked to give the American a 25-23 win.

Serbia recovered its best shape in the fourth frame and achieved an 8-5 lead in the first technical timeout. After a wrong spike of Kervoken, the European dominance improved to 12-7. Keeping ahead until the end, the Serbian increased their advantage to seal the match with Cook spiking out to score 25-13.